Navy Medicine senior leaders met with students and faculty from Duke University School of Medicine to promote the unique career and scholarship opportunities available within military health care, June 6.

The visit underscores a growing partnership aimed at recruiting top talent from one of the nation’s leading institutions for health professions and biomedical education.

Rear Adm. Rick Freedman, the U.S. Navy Deputy Surgeon General and Master Chief Petty Officer Hansen LaFoucade, the deputy director of the Hospital Corps, met with faculty to explore collaborative research opportunities, particularly emphasizing needs in internal medicine and psychiatric/mental health. Discussions highlighted how Duke students can integrate into these vital areas, supporting the health of service members and their families.

A key focus of the visit is the Navy’s scholarship programs for health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, dentists, and physician assistants. These scholarships cover tuition and offer stipends, providing students a debt-free path to employment in Navy Medicine after graduation.

The team also toured Duke’s facilities, where students are introduced to the advanced and real-world medical experiences they would encounter. The day concluded with a roundtable discussion with several members of the administration team and recruiters from Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Carolina on the integration of academic excellence with the unique disciples of military service.

Duke University and Navy Medicine are poised to inspire and equip a new generation of health care professionals, ready to contribute to both military and civilian sectors.

Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above sea, and ashore.